STAMFORD -- A second person arrested in connection with the New Year's Eve robbery attempt at the Hope Bottle Shop pleaded not guilty to charges at a hearing at state Superior Court in Stamford on Tuesday.

Tattoo artist Jeremy "J Rock" Robinson, 21, of Main Street in Bridgeport, was arrested March 7 on charges of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and attempt to commit armed robbery. He has been held on $25,000 bond.

On Feb. 4, police arrested Richard Graham, 17, of Leeds Street in Stamford, and charged him with three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, along with single counts of illegal discharge of a firearm, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and carrying a dangerous weapon. He has been held on $100,000 bond.

The robbery, moments before the shop was to close on New Year's Eve, was unsuccessful because the shop owner thought it was a gag.

Two weeks after the incident, in which two people burst through the door of the store at 8:55 p.m. and fired a shot while demanding money, sources told police Graham and Robinson were responsible, according to arrest warrant affidavits. One said Robinson promised Graham a tattoo if he helped him rob the store, the affidavit said.

In early February, when police first talked to Graham, he gave investigators an alibi that was quickly discredited and told them he wanted a lawyer, the affidavit said; a few hours later, a man who identified himself as Graham's mentor, told police Graham wanted to confess to the robbery.

Graham, who admitted to having a fresh tattoo given to him by Robinson, told police that when he entered the store with Robinson, he fired a shot to scare everyone and then shot twice more, the affidavit said.

But after the owner refused to take the two seriously and an employee tossed a pack of bottled beer that exploded at their feet, Graham said they fled emptyhanded.

When police spoke with Robinson, he said he was at a New Haven nightclub that night and spent the rest of the night with his girlfriend. The girlfriend said he was "running errands" in her car that night and gave her a ride to work about 90 minutes after the robbery attempt. She said Robinson did not spend the night, the affidavit said.

Robinson's special public defender, David Marantz, who was assigned the case just before the hearing Tuesday, declined comment because he has not had time to review it.

In 2011, Robinson was convicted of carrying a pistol without a permit and possession of a firearm by a felon, and sentenced to two years in prison.